Page 81 of Called By Fate

“Fuck you, you stupid bitch,” Hunter snaps. “You’re going down for defying the Elders. Imagine the glory we’ll get for being the ones to do it, too.”

I roll my eyes, but a part of me knows I need to say something. “No, you are going down for defying the Goddess by placing your Elders on a pedestal where they don’t belong.” My voice is doing that weird projecting thing again, and I instantly know the Goddess is with me. She may not be able to intervene, but I have her blessing. “Do any of you wish to change your path?” And I’m not only talking to his Circle anymore.

“As fucking if,” one of Hunter’s Circle mates growls, the Water Weaver, if I remember right. His entire Circle nods their agreement with him.

“So be it then,” I respond to them, and then to everyone else, I say, “Let their foolishness be a lesson.” Some of the loyal ones stop to look at me as my shadows rise to my call, and I blast them at Hunter’s entire Circle. There’s not even time for them to scream before they disappear, but even so, I begin to feel a drain on my power.

But that’s what was needed. A wake-up call. The tides of battle start to shift as whispers ofthe Shadowbringerecho all around me. My allies start chanting it until the roar of it is deafening.

A glint of light in the night sky catches my eye, shining brighter than the moon’s glow, and I find Reed looking as determined as ever as he works his hands in large circles, weaving a trail of light for my mates and Hemsworth to ride on across the divide. They look fierce, their faces lined with determination as they drop on our side in a crouch. Our bond sings between us, and I find myself more amped now that they’re here.

The other Light Weavers pouring through the portal stare at him in awe. Then they begin to do the same, transporting as many as they can via the light beams until the score starts to even out to our side, but my focus is on my mates. My fierce mates.

* * *

Reed

The battlefield isabsolute pandemonium when we step through the portal. Magic whizzes by my head that I barely duck in time to miss. Bodies are hitting the ground faster than I can count and a piece inside of me wants to shatter at the sight—the faces of my dead faction morphing with the ones I see now.

I shake myself out of that train of thought as I catch a glimpse of Sadie fighting with Reginald and an Elite across a huge crevice and the blood in my veins boils at the sight. The Elite fucker tackles Sadie and they hit the ground hard. Vinson is already pounding across the battlefield in wolf form, frantic to get to her.

I watch in amazement as he takes a running leap, pure grit and determination fueling him. My heart stutters when it looks as if he’s not going to make it, and I take a step forward, trying to think of anything to get him across safely when an Elemental Weaver shoots a gust of air that carries him across. Relief pours through me but it’s short-lived.

“We have to find a way across!” I shout to be heard over the chaos wreaking havoc around us.

“How do we get over there safely?” Dante asks, deflecting a blow from an Elite off a shifter nearby.

“We’ll find a way,” Kaos responds, analyzing the scene with his critical eyes.

I raise my own dagger and call my light to me. It’s then that I realize it’s different. Light Weavers can pull light from just about anywhere, but this is inconsistent. The light that comes to me has more of a silvery hue than my normal daylight, and I glance up at the moon shining down on us.

In olden times, the Light Weavers would supposedly use the sun’s rays to travel. I wonder…

Weaving my hands in large, looping circles, I attempt to form a moonbeam. If they could do it, surely I can. I’ve never practiced it before but it seems pretty straightforward. Satisfaction flows through me when a solid beam starts to take shape.

Hop on,I mentally project to my fellow Circle mates.

Riding a moonbeam is sort of like riding a wave, tumultuous and a tad bit scary, but I’d do anything for Sadie. As soon as our feet hit the ground, we land in a crouch, standing as we redraw our weapons.

“Let’s end this,” I say as we fight our way to our mate, defending anyone on our side who is innocent as best as we can. We get separated in the battle, but that’s okay. We’ll eventually make our way to our mate. Let anyone try to stop me.

* * *

Kaos

Reed is a fucking genius,and he definitely does not get told that enough. Using a moonbeam to travel across the divide? Absolutely fucking brilliant. I’d already sorted through every single option in my head and hadn’t come up with anything yet, so I’m glad he figured out a way.

Nothing, and no one, is going to get in our way of protecting our mate. This whole damn day might’ve gone to hell in a handbasket, but it was inevitable. Eventually, we were going to have to do this song and dance.

So, let’s fucking do it.

I land in a crouch, hopping off Reed’s moonbeam, and dart into the fight. I throw shield after shield up, protecting those around me as I clear a path to Sadie. I even send my healing magic out to patch up our allies so they can keep fighting. They thank me with their renewed vigor toward our enemies.

A familiar face whizzes by me in the crowd. Malachi is a storm as he fights his way through enemy after enemy. He’s a seasoned fighter and it makes me proud to see our friend fighting on our side.

Hemsworth works alongside me, going straight for people’s jugulars and ripping them out. He’s ruthless and effective. Then I catch a glimpse of Sadie through the crowd and my heart stutters and stops when I see a figure I recognize pop up behind Elder Vogt.Shit. I have to get to her. Now.

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